The present invention relates to membrane filtration modules that are more sanitary and are easier to replace and install than presently available filtration modules. More particularly, the present invention relates to membrane filtration modules formed from a filtration cartridge, retaining bowl and manifold together.
The control of particulate contaminants in a filtration process such as in the semiconductor industry requires the use of ultraclean filters having membranes that remove submicron particles. It is well known that any particle that is deposited on a semiconductor wafer produces a defect when the particle is sufficiently large. Typically in the semiconductor industry, failed defects can be produced by particles as small as about one tenth of the smallest features of the semiconductor chip. Therefore, membrane filters are used in every process step for producing semiconductor chips to purify both working liquids and gases.
Although many different designs have been developed for a filtration module used in an ultrapure liquid filtration, two designs are prevalent. In one module design, liquid to be filtered flows from one end of the filtration module to the other hand. In this class of the filtration modules, the feed and permeate connections are located at opposite ends of the filter thereby forcing the liquid flow to move from one end to the other. This flow configuration is referred to as an in line flow configuration. These filtration modules suffer from two disadvantages. First, they are more difficult to connect to the process equipment since the module is sandwiched between two sets of connections. Second, any free liquid remaining within the module quickly drains upon disconnection of the module because at least one connection is positioned at the bottom of the module.
A second filtration modular design locates all of the connections at the same end of the module. In this type of module, the feed and permeate ports are typically horizontally oriented at the top or xe2x80x9cheadxe2x80x9d end of the module on opposite sides thereof. Due to their shape, these modules are referred to as having a T, L or U configuration. This configuration facilitates connection of the head to the remaining portion of the filtration module comprising the bowl and the filtration cartridge positioned within the bowl. In this design, the bowl and filtration cartridge comprise separate elements. Thus, when constructing the filtration module, the filtration cartridge and the bowl are separately secured to and sealed to the manifold head. In addition, upon completion of filtration the bowl and cartridge are separately removed from the head. This separate removal requires that the bowl be moved a distance substantially greater than the entire length of the cartridge in order to expose the cartridge to permit its removal. Thereafter, the exposed cartridge is removed by hand or with a hand tool. Since the filter cartridge is saturated with the liquid being filtered which is often times corrosive or toxic, the cartridge removal step presents a danger to the worker. In addition, since the bowl must be moved the length of the cartridge, the space within which the bowl and cartridge are positioned must accommodate this removal step.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,572 to provide a filter assembly which cooperates with a bowl to produce a filter cartridge-bowl construction which can be demounted as a single unit from a manifold. The filter cartridge is connected to the bowl by bayonet connections on the cartridge which fit into grooves within the interior surface of the bowl. This bayonet connection requires the flanges extending from the outside surface of the filter cartridge be positioned into grooves that extend vertically within the bowl and then into grooves which extend horizontally within the bowl. The connection configuration requires that the cartridge first be moved vertically into the vertical grooves and then be rotated into the horizontal grooves when mounting the cartridge into the bowl. Conversely, when it is desired to remove the cartridge from the bowl upon completion of a filtration process, the cartridge must be rotated and lifted from the bowl in a single motion. Since removal of the cartridge from the bowl requires application of force on the fluid conduit located at the top of the cartridge, and since the diameter of this conduit is smaller than the cartridge diameter there is no leverage of the application force on the cartridge. This, in turn, requires application of considerable force on the cartridge when effecting its removal from the bowl that may require the use of hand held tool. The application of a rotational force and a lifting force as a single motion increases the difficulty of separating the bowl from the filter cartridge. Separation of the cartridge from the bowl is particularly difficult when toxic or corrosive fluids have been filtered by this filtration device.
Further, current designs have the cartridge seal against and be lightly (friction fit) held to the manifold. Any application of back pressure when applied to the cartridge can cause the cartridge to unseat from the manifold, rendering it ineffective for filtration.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a filtration module construction which avoids the need to remove the filtration cartridge separately than the bowl from the manifold while permitting the filter cartridge and bowl to be removed from a manifold as a single unit. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a construction that avoids the need for applying force in a plurality of directions of movement to effect removal of a cartridge and bowl from a manifold. Such a construction would promote ease of separating the cartridge and bowl from the manifold, would eliminate the danger to the worker in removing the filtration cartridge subsequent to filtration and would reduce the space required to install the filtration module. Lastly, by forming the cartridge and the bowl as a unitary structure and securing that structure to the manifold, the problem of the cartridge becoming dislodged from the manifold when subjected to back pressure is avoided.
In accordance with this invention, a filtration module is provided comprising a manifold, and the combination of a filtration cartridge and bowl wherein the filtration cartridge and bowl are either formed of one piece or wherein they can be locked together to be installed and removed as one piece from the manifold. When the filter cartridge and bowl are formed from separate pieces, they are joined together by application of a force in a single direction at a given time such as force in a single direction at a given time such as a force in a vertical direction. The bowl and filter cartridge are joined together by a snap fit wherein mating elements on the bowl and filter cartridge are shaped so the elements are held together by friction which requires a force to decouple the bowl and filter cartridge. This construction permits the decoupling of the filtration cartridge and bowl from the manifold in one step. In one embodiment, the means for a coupling the filtration cartridge and bowl to the manifold prior to use and during use. In addition, the coupling means can be constructed so that when it is desired to remove the filtration cartridge and bowl from the manifold, the filtration cartridge and bowl can be removed as one piece of manifold.